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Overview

Residential buildings account for a large share of energy use and carbon emissions, making deep energy retrofits essential for healthier, more efficient, and climate-resilient homes. The Residential Deep Energy Retrofit Certificate of Completion prepares professionals in residential construction and renovation with the knowledge, technical skills, and applied experience needed to deliver high-performance retrofits.

The program includes four online courses and a final in-person lab-based course, each offering a micro-credential. You’ll begin with building science fundamentals, indoor environmental quality, carbon measurement, and climate-resilient strategies. From there, you’ll learn to evaluate existing homes, conduct feasibility analyses, and develop integrated retrofit plans for building envelope and mechanical/electrical systems. The program culminates in hands-on practice applying deep retrofit solutions.

Through interactive assignments, guided exercises, and the lab experience, you’ll connect theory to practice and strengthen your ability to use energy evaluation tools, optimize retrofit strategies, and balance performance, cost, and homeowner priorities.

This program is ideal if you:

  • work in residential construction, renovation, design, or energy advising and want to build specialized retrofit skills
  • are preparing to lead or manage residential retrofit projects from initial assessment through implementation
  • seek practical expertise in evaluating homes, selecting strategies, and ensuring quality workmanship
  • aspire to roles such as Residential Deep Energy Retrofit Planner, Site Manager, Energy Advisor, or Home Inspector.

Meet our subject matter expert and instructor: Benjamin Hildebrandt

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Ben Hildebrandt brings over a decade of experience in building science and sustainable construction. A graduate of SAIT’s Architectural Technologies program, he has worked extensively as a building envelope consultant on a variety of residential and commercial remediation and new construction projects across Alberta. At SAIT’s Green Building Technology Access Centre, Benjamin leads applied building science research and has led development of the High Performance Residential Design and Construction and Residential Deep Energy Retrofit programs. His teaching emphasizes real-world learning, using practical examples and industry insights to prepare students for success in high-performance building and retrofit practices.

To be successful in this program, we recommend that you have any of the following education/training: high school diploma, post-secondary technical diploma or degree, skilled trades training and/or certification.

Any prior or current work experience you have in construction, architecture, engineering or related technical fields will also be beneficial.

Upon successful completion of this program, you'll be able to:

  • develop deep energy retrofit strategies by integrating building science principles, house-as-a-system considerations, and climate resilience factors to meet net-zero emission goals and homeowner objectives
  • conduct evaluations of existing residential buildings to determine deep energy retrofit feasibility, analyzing homeowner motivations, building performance potential, carbon implications, and cost-benefit relationships
  • create integrated retrofit plans that coordinate building envelope upgrades (walls, foundations, roofs), mechanical and electrical system improvements, and renewable energy integration while balancing performance, cost optimization, and homeowner priorities
  • demonstrate proficiency in deep energy retrofit principles through hands-on learning experiences, case study analysis, and practical application of assessment tools, construction techniques, and performance evaluation.

Program outline

To earn this certificate, you must complete the five mandatory courses below. Start with SNRG 004 Residential Building Science Fundamentals, then take the remaining courses as listed.

Required courses & electives

How to apply for this certificate

Once you have registered for any course offered in this certificate, you will be automatically eligible to complete the certificate. You will have up to three years to complete this program. You may track your progression by signing in to your Continuing Education student account.

Certifications and professional designations

Upon successful completion of all the required courses in this certificate program, you’ll receive an electronically issued SAIT Certificate of Completion and transcript.

Costs

This program consists of five mandatory courses with varying fees. Please review the individual course pages for this certificate to determine costs and to learn more about additional learning materials, including textbooks.

Financial support

Financial opportunities are available to help pay for your course fees. Learn more about how to reduce your education or training costs with available awards, bursaries, loans and grants, including the Canada Alberta Productivity Grant. 

Financing your education

Careers and opportunities

Skills gained in this program will help you apply your residential construction experience to deep energy retrofits. You’ll be ready to assess existing homes, coordinate high-performance upgrades, and pursue roles such as retrofit planner or energy advisor.

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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.

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